Taranaki’s world-leading streamside fencing and planting programme remains on mission and on track.
Riparian planholders pick up their plants from the Council's depot at Stratford.
Riparian plants & myrtle rust Q&As
This year’s distribution of riparian plants was delayed by the discovery of myrtle rust – but it was more a minor glitch than a major disruption, says the Taranaki Regional Council’s Director-Operations, Stephen Hall.
“Farmers can be assured that if they ordered plants, they’ll get them – in fact, the vast majority of this year’s plants have already been distributed,” he says.
“And the species potentially affected by myrtle rust are only a small proportion of those used in this scheme. So farmers need not be concerned about plants that are already in the ground.”
Myrtle rust is a serious fungal disease that affects plants in the myrtle family including pōhutukawa, mānuka and kānuka, which are used in the riparian programme.
In May the fungus was found on a single pōhutukawa at the Council’s Lepperton nursery, one of five regional depots from where farmers were due to start picking up a total of 360,000 riparian plants on 22 May. All depots were closed to allow full inspection of all plants, and distribution was put on hold for a week.
“All myrtle species at all depots were inspected and sprayed, and the fungus was not found on any other plants,” says Mr Hall. “As a precaution, all the myrtle species at the Lepperton nursery were destroyed – around 3500 of them, which is 1% of the total number of plants being distributed this season. They are being replaced with non-myrtle species.”
He says the myrtle species pōhutukawa, mānuka and kānuka make up a very small proportion of the millions that have been used in the programme to date. “It will vary from farm to farm, but generally no more than 5% to 10% of the plants, and in some cases quite a lot fewer, are from the myrtle species. And it’s still not known what sort of damage this fungus will do to.
“So the overall impact of myrtle rust on existing riparian planting is likely to be minimal. As far as we’re concerned, it’s all systems go for streamside planting and fencing.”
Completion of riparian (including regionally significant wetlands) fencing and planting by the end of the decade is a major priority for the Council.
“Most farmers are on target but those who haven’t got a Certificate of Compliance for their riparian plan by 2020 are highly likely to face costly regulatory requirements — either from this Council or central Government, which is planning new regulations for stock exclusion,” says Mr Hall.
For more than 20 years the Council has worked with landowners to develop riparian management plans for individual properties – primarily on the Taranaki ring plain. The free plans detail recommendations for fencing and planting the property’s waterways, and set targets for implementation.
The Council contracts nurseries to supply native plants to farmers at cost. The Council can also arrange planting contractors to undertake the work if required. The Council’s Land Management Officers maintain one-on-one contact with planholders, tracking implementation and offering advice.
Fencing streambanks keeps stock out of waterways and vegetation helps to trap and filter run-off from pasture. Planting provides shading, food and shelter for wildlife and encourages biodiversity in rivers and streams. All of these aspects generally support water quality – as borne out by Council monitoring showing ever-improving trends in the ecological health of waterways, and their physical and chemical state.
Myrtle rust & riparian planting Q&As
I ordered plants this season. Will I get them?
Certainly. Only 1% of this season’s plants had to be destroyed because of concerns about myrtle rust. They’re being replaced with non-myrtle species. You should have been able to pick up your plants by now. If you haven’t, talk to your Land Management Officer, call the Council on 0800 736 222 or email riparian@trc.govt.nz.
Am I putting myself and neighbours at risk with my riparian planting?
No. All the pōhutukawa, mānuka and kānuka at our depots were inspected and sprayed. Apart from the one single pohutukawa at Lepperton, no myrtle rust was found. The Ministry for Primary Industries, which has been managing the response to myrtle rust, was satisfied the rest of the plants posed no risk, and allowed their distribution.
Is my existing riparian planting at risk from myrtle rust?
It’s still not known how extensively or severely myrtle rust will affect native and exotic myrtle species in this country. It may be a number of years before a clear picture emerges. What we do know, however, is that myrtle species – primarily pōhutukawa, mānuka and kānuka – make up only a small proportion of the more than 4 million plants that have already been planted under the Taranaki programme. Kānuka and mānuka have only been added in recent years. So the fungus won’t be a game-changer.
Where can I find the latest news or more details about myrtle rust?
The response is being led by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Check their website: www.bit.ly/MyrtleRustMPI(external link)
RECOUNT — Taranaki Regional Council's quarterly newsletter
Issue 105, June 2017